• Blackmagic Design

  UltraScope: No 29.97pSF Support

  Posted by Steve Harley on August 21, 2009 at 5:46 pm

  Kristian Lam,

  Can you please tell me why some of your products do not offer support for 29.97pSF (Progressive Segmented Frame)?

  I’m talking about UltraScope, Broadcast Converter and your HDSDI-to-HDMI Mini Converter — to name a few.

  I recognize this is not the most popular format — but clients do shoot at 29.97p and devices like Avid Nitris and Mojo DX hardware only output 29.97p as Progressive Segmented Frame.

  It would seem to me that if you’re going to support 23.976pSF and 24pSF — you might as well bit the bullet and include 29.97pSF.

  Your thoughts?

  Steve Harley replied 16 years, 7 months ago 3 Members · 9 Replies
• 9 Replies

• 

  Bob Zelin

  August 21, 2009 at 11:16 pm

  I just installed the Blackmagic A/D and D/A converters on an AVID Mojo DX system at POPictures in Orlando 2 weeks ago, for their HD work – the Blackmagic converters work perfectly in this application.

  The output of the AVID Mojo (the single HD-SDI output) actually went first into an AJA HD5DA to get more outputs. One of those outputs went directly into the Blackmagic Ultrascope. It’s being used right now with the AVID Mojo DX.

  Bob Zelin
• 

  Steve Harley

  August 22, 2009 at 3:15 am

  Hi Bob,

  You either read my post too quickly — or I’m not understanding your post.

  My point is that the UltraScope does not support 29.97pSF framerate — and this was confirmed by Black Magic’s tech support department earlier today.

  Like some of their other devices, UltraScope will support 23.976pSF and 24pSF — but it will not support 29.97pSF.

  While there are workarounds, my point is: Why sell a scope that cannot support all pSF framerates?
• 

  Bob Zelin

  August 22, 2009 at 5:34 pm

  Hi Steve –
  you are correct –
  these are the formats supported by the Ultrascope –
  1080p 23.98/24/50/59.94, 1080i50, 1080i59.94, 720p50 and 720p59.94

  I jumped the gun in responding to your post, but 29.97 PsF is not a very popular format. I was wrong.

  bob Zelin
• 

  Steve Harley

  August 22, 2009 at 5:54 pm

  No problem Bob.

  For better or worse, 29.97p is a format that some utility with the integration of archival SD footage.

  I really can’t see a reason for a scope product to not support 29.97pSF — especially when it already supports 23.976pSF and 24pSF.

  Kristian…can you shed any light on this subject?

  Thanks in advance for your feedback.
• 

  Kristian Lam

  September 3, 2009 at 2:08 am

  Hi Steve,

  Have you tried send it a 29.97PsF signal? What happens when you do? It should support it but some SDI streams may not have the right data to indicate that it’s 29.97PsF and as such, Ultrascope may say it’s 59.94i

  regards

  Kristian Lam
  Blackmagic Design
• 

  Steve Harley

  October 1, 2009 at 7:00 am

  Hi Kristian,

  Sorry for the delayed response. I must have missed the notification of your post — and I haven’t been on Cow for a while.

  Yes, 29.97PsF video is reported as 59.94i on UltraScope. UltraScope sees 23.976PsF and 24PsF just fine — but not 29.97PsF — and the same device is sending those rates.

  Considering the intrinsic function of a scope — as an information and measurement tool — it would really make sense for it to report exactly what framerate it is receiving. Otherwise, it contributes to confusion — rather than clarifying it.

  Also, I’m not sure this is documented, but UltraScope freaks-out with a 720p59.94 signal. The entire display flickers and flutters and it is completely unusable. Is this a known issue? And if so, is a fix in the works?

  Thanks for your assistance.
• 

  Steve Harley

  October 5, 2009 at 10:10 pm

  Quick Update:

  The UltraScope is now working with 720p59.94.
  No sure why the flickering stopped.

  But I would still like it to properly identify 29.97.
• 

  Kristian Lam

  October 6, 2009 at 2:41 am

  Hi Steve,

  We hear ya. 🙂

  regards

  Kristian Lam
  Blackmagic Design
• 

  Steve Harley

  October 6, 2009 at 4:04 am

  Thank you Kristian.

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